Latching means for door-lock handles



LATCHING MEANS FOR DOOR LOCK HANDLES Filed May 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Shet 1INVENTOR.

AT NEY.

Sept. 25, 1928.

W. C. DEVEREAUX LATC-HING MEANS FOR DOOR LOCK HANDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet M,QQ.

' Ciu Filed May 4, 1927 Patented Sept. 25, 1928-.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

WILLIAMC. DEVEREAUX, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LATCHING MEANS FOR DOOR-LOCK HANDLES Application filed May 4, 1927.Serial No. 188,720,

This invention relates to means for securing the handle shafts'of locksfor vehicle doors and the like, and has for one of its objects theprovision of means for removably securing the handle shaft to interiorportions of the lock whereby the shaft is readily rotatable, but is heldagainst longitudinal movement while the lock isin locked position.

Another object of my invention is the arrangement of a handle shafthaving a circumferential groove and a .polygonal rear portion adjacentthe actuating cam of the look when the shaft is assembled, the polygonalportion being adapted to enter a similarly shaped aperture in the hub ofthe actuating cam, and the grooved portion serving in conjunction with alock plate to prevent unwarranted withdrawal of the handle shaftfrorn'its assembled position.

A further object of my invention is the arrangement with a handle shafthaving a polygonal extremity and a circumferential groove of a fixedlocking plate having a polygonal aperture therein in horizontalalignment with a similarly shaped poly onal aperture in the hub of theactuating cam of the lock mechanism, all of the walls of thetwopolygonal apertures being in vehicle doors adapted for use with myimproved handle shaft securing means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section showing the handle shaft andlock in positions assumed when the lock bolt is in locked position, withone means of arranging the handle relatively to the door.

, Fig. 3 is an enlarged. detail elevation showing the relative positionsof the polygonal apertures in the lock plate and actuating camrespectively when the lockis in locked position.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views showing therear portion ofthe lock shaft and the actuating cam respectively.

Fig. 6 is a rearelevation of a door lock having a remote control meansfor sliding the lock, bolt.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section showing the locked position ofthe lock bolt shown in Fig. 6 and with another means Qfarranging thehandle relatively to the door, taken substantially on the line 7-7 ofFig. 6. j

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 9 is' a side elevation of a key used for initially positioning thelock bolt to peamit ready insertion of the handle shaft, an

Fig. 10 is an end view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a portion of thevehicle door and G a lock casing adapted to be secured to the door byscrews 7 or the like. The lock casing 6 carries a slidable lock bolt 8having a portion normally extended beyond the lock casing by means ofthe spring S) or other suitable means. The extended portion of the lockbolt 8 is adapted to engage a strlker plate (not shown) carried'by thedoor jamb, and the extended portion may be withdrawn from engagementwith the striker plate by means of the actuating cam 10, mounted in thelock casing and having an offset portion 1O adapted to engage 'an offsetarm 11 of the lock bolt 8 (note Fig. 1). Theactuating cam' 10 is adaptedto be rotated by a handle shaft 12, carried by the door handle 13,.which is 'usually arranged on the outer side of the vehicle door. Inaddition a vertical spindle 1 1 may be arranged with its handle 15adjacent the inner side of the vehicle door to enable the readyunlocking of the door by persons within the vehicle. As shown in F ig.1, the spindle 14 is provided with a crank portion 1 1 adapted tocontact a shoulder 8? on the lock bolt, a light coil spring 16 beingarranged to normally urge the crank portion of the spindle away from theshoulder 8 The parts above described may vary in many particulars. andare intended to show one embodiment of a vehicle door and lock withwhich my improved handle shaft and securing means are useful. Theillustrationsv of the above described parts are merely for purposes ofexemplification, and it is to be understood that the claimed inventionherein disclosed is adaptable for use with other forms of locks, etc.

My improved handle shaft 12 is formed with a polygonal rear portion 12separated frorn the main portion of the shaft by a circumferentialgrooved portion 12", as shown in Figure 4:. In the illustratedembodiment the rear portion 12 of the handle shaft is squared, and isadapted to fit within the polygonal aperture 10 in the hub of theactuating cam 10, substantially as shown in Figures 2 and 7, the groovedportion 12 of the lock shaft being then arranged adjacent the forwardface of the actuating cam 1.0 and within a polygonal aperture 17 in theshaft locking plate 17, fixed within the lock casing, as by welding uponthe inner plate of the lock casing, as shown in Figs. 13, or by suitablyshaping such inner plate itself, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. As hereinshown the walls of the polygonal aperture '17 are disposed atsubstantially right angles to the walls of the aperture 10 in theactuating cam (note Fig. 3), and as long as these apertures main tainsuch relative position the Walls of the circumferential groove 12 willcontact the shaft locking plate 17, if the handle shaft be movedlongitudinally in either direction. lVhen, however, the handle shaft isturned to bring the walls of the polygonal aperture 10 into alignmentwith the walls of the aperture 17 in the locking plate, the walls of thegroove 12 will no longer'contact the shaft locking plate 17 to preventlongitudinal movement of the shaft. In other words,

as long as the aperture 10 of the cam is obliquely disposed relativelyto the aperture 17 a in the locking plate 17 the corners of the lockshaft are similarly obliquely disposed to the aperture in the lockingplate, and

withdrawal of the lock shaft is prevented because the corners of theshaft forming the side walls of the groove '12 would engage the lockingplate 17whenever attempt is made to move the shaft longitudinally.

This provides a very simple and effective means for preventingunwarranted withdrawal of the-handle shaft, the shaft being held againstlongitudinal movement be-' yond'the width of the groove 12 until theshaft is turned to accurately align the walls of the polygonal apertures10 and 17 respectively. WVhen' the apertures are so aligned, however,the handle shaft can be readily withdrawn. If desired, the width of thecircumferential groove 12 may be but slightly greater than the width ofthe locking plate'17, in which case the permitted longitudinal movementor play of the handle shaft in locked position would be practically nil.However, for enabling ready assembly of any of a number of handle shaftsinto any of a group of lock casings I preferably -width of the vehicledoors, I can insure ready assembly of any handle shaft into any lockcasing on an acceptable door, and the speed of assembly may bematerially increased, while the labor cost of litting locks and handleshafts into position is materially de' creased.

In assembling my improved handle shaft into the lock. casing, theactuating cam 10 is swung to bringits aperture 1O into completealignment with the aperture 17 a in the locking plate, whereupon thehandle shaft may be readily inserted through the passageway 18 in thedoor 5, the aperture 17? in the lock plate 17 and into the aperture 10of the actuating cam. The actuating cam may then be released and thespring 9 forces it to its normal position with the lock bolt 8 extended,this return swinging movement servmg to turn the handle shaft 12 to aposition obliquely disposed relatively to the aperture 17 a in the lockplate 17. To readily accomplish the initial swinging of the actuatingcam to permit the insertion of the lock shaft, I preferably provide akey 19 having an octagonal rear portion (note Figs. 9 and 10) insertablethrough both the aperture 17 in the locking plate and 10 in the cam. Bysuitably turning the key after such insertion the aperture 10 in the cammay be swung into complete alignment with the aperture 17 a in thelocking plate, whereupon the cam is manually held in such position whilethe key 19 is withdrawn and the handle shaft 12 inserted. During suchswinging movement of the cam by the key 19 the lock bolt 8 is retracted,either partially or completely as desired by the lock manufacturer,against the tension of the spring 9. Then after the shaft has beeninserted into the aperture of the cam, the

pressure on the tool is released, ermitting the s rin 9 to return thelock olt 8 and cam to their original positions. One means ment on thelock casing and carrying a lug 30 engaging the'rear portion 8 of theloci; bolt 8.

Means may also be provided adjacent the forward extremity of the lockshaft for giving a uniform appearan e to the handle and adjacent portionof the lock shaft regardless of'the differences in the width of thevehicle door. In Figure 2' I have illustrated a spacer tube surroundingthe lock shaft adjacent the handles and extending within an escutcheonplate 21. Both the spacer tube and escutcheon plate may be of variousornamental shapes and their surfaces nickeled or otherwise finished asdesired. The es cutcheon' plate is preferably formed with ears 22 on itsrear extremity adapted to be engaged by a washer 23, while anotherwasher 24 surrounds the shaft 12 and engages the rear extremity of thespacer tube 20. A coil spring 25 is arranged between the Washers 23' and24 and serves to both hold the escutcheon plate in position upon thedoor and force the lock shaft 12 outwardly as far as permitted'by therear Wall of the circumferential slot 12 when in enagement with the lockplate 17 Regardless of the extent of overlapping of the spacer tube 20and escutcheon plate 21 the appearance of the handle end of the lockshaft is substantially the same, and this overlapping arrangement inconjunction with the comparatively wide circumferential slot 12 permitsthe use of lock shafts 12 of the same length on doors 5- of variouswidths. Or an escutcheon plate 31 may be directly secured upon the door5 by screws 32, as shownin Fig. 7, passing through apertures in themetalcover plate of'the door. In this embodiment the escutcheon 31 may bestiffened by a suitable backing plate 33 having lugs 34 also adapted topass through apertures in the metal door covering, while a light spring35 may be arranged between the backing plate and a washer 36 surroundingthe shaft and held against longitudinal movement thereon by struck-upportions 37 of the handle shank.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of myinvention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill theobjects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat theinvention is susceptibleto variation, modification and change within thespirit and scope of the annexed claims.

Now having described my invention I claim:

1. The combination with a lock casing having a lock bolt and actuatingcam therefor provided with a polygonal aperture, of

a fixed locking plate having a polygonal ap erture therein and arotatable handle shaft having a polygonal rear portion adapted to fitwithin the'aperture in the cam and a circumferentially grooved portionadapted to normally extend through the aperture in the locking plate,the walls of the apertures in the cam and locking plate being anguhavinga polygonal rear portion adapted to fit within the aperture in the camand a circumferentially grooved portion adapted to normally extendthrough the aper-- ture in the locking plate, the walls of the aperturesin the cam and locking plate being angularly disposed relatively to eachother while the cam and lock bolt are in their' locked positions, andthe said grooved portion being of greater width than the locking plate,whereby one of the side walls of the groove will contact the lockingplate to prevent excessive longitudinal movement of the shaft while thesaid apertures are angularly disposed.

3. The combination with a lock casing having a lock bolt and actuatingcam'therefor provided with a polygonal aperture, of a handled lock shafthaving a polygonal portion adapted to fit within the aperture in saidcam and an annular groove adjacent said polygonal portion, and means forremovably securing the shaft against unwarranted withdrawal from the camincluding afixed looking plate having a polygonal aperture surroundingsaid annular groove and arranged in horizontal alignment with, but withits walls angularly disposed relatively to, the normal positions of thewallsof the aperture in said cam.

4. The combination with a lock casing having a lock bolt and actuatingcam therefor provided with a polygonal aperture, of a handled lock shafthaving a polygonal portion adapted to fit within the aperture in saidcam and an annular groove arranged between the handle and said polygonalportion, and means for removably securing the shaft against unwarrantedwithdrawal from the cam including a locking plate fixed between thehandie and the cam and having a polygonal aperture surrounding saidannular groove and arranged in horizontal alignment with, but with itswalls angularly disposed relatively to, the normal positions of thewalls of the aperture in said cam.

5. The combination with a lock casing having a lock bolt and actuatingcam therefor provided with a polygonal aperture, of a handled lock shafthaving a polygonal portion adapted to fit within the aperture in saidcam and an annular groove arranged betwecnthe handle and said polygonalportion, andmeans for removably securing the shaft against unwarrantedwithdrawal from the cam including a locking plate fixed between thehandle and the cam and having apolygonal aperture surroundin said anawayfrom the locking plate to maintain one nular groove and arranged inhorizontal of the side walls of said groove in contact 10 alignmentwith, .but with its walls anguwith the locking plate. while saidapertures larly disposed relatively to, the normal poare angularlydisposed relatively to each sitions of the Walls of the aperture in saidother.

cam, and means arranged between the han- In witness whereof I hereuntoset my (lle and said fixed plate for pressing the hand. handle of thelock shaft longitudinally 4 lVILLIAM DEVEREAUX.

